The scope of the present invention relates to a maneuvering device for the recoiling mass of a piece of artillery.
The propelling charge of a munition, when a round is fired, transmits to the projectile and the piece of artillery an impetus in the opposite direction resulting in the ballistic trajectory of the projectile and the recoil of the recoiling mass. This recoil is controlled by a recoil mechanism linking the recoiling mass to a fixed cradle that absorbs the kinetic energy from the recoil and causes the immediate counter-recoil to enable another round to be fired. It is therefore paramount to check that the recoil mechanism functions perfectly when the piece is manufactured, undergoes maintenance and before each firing sequence.
To maneuver the recoiling mass of a piece of artillery, several methods are used according to the assembly configuration of the artillery. If the artillery is mounted on a top-carriage, a cable winch is used, the ends of which are fixed on either side of the recoiling mass on a fixed part of the top-carriage, the cable passing over a pulley fitted on the end of the barrel.
If the artillery is mounted onto a vehicle having a turret, a cable winch is used, the ends of which are fixed on each side of the recoiling mass on the outside of the turret, the cable passing over a pulley fitted on the end of the barrel. The vehicle may also be maneuvered, for example, a tank that brings the muzzle of the barrel to bear on an obstacle that is sufficiently rigid and continues to move forward to create relative movement between the recoiling mass and the fixed part of the artillery.
In all cases currently known, the system used to maneuver the recoiling mechanisms, when the artillery has been integrated with its base, is a generally static system that only allows for low-speed recoil and counter-recoil. Only those systems using cables to some extent allow a counter-recoil at actual speed to be obtained by deblocking retention of the cable on the winch. However, this operation is dangerous given the tension exerted on the cable and the risk of whiplash when the cable is deblocked.